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One Killed, Two Critically Injured In Boating Accident

August 1, 2005

A collision on Clinton Lake killed one man and left two other people critically injured. State conservation police were working to reconstruct the two boats damaged in the collision. Both boats were badly damaged but operable after the accident.

"We are still going through the pieces of the two boats and reconstructing them. Some pieces will be sent to the state crime lab," Illinois Department of Natural Resources spokeswoman Gayle Simpson said. Among issues police are looking into is whether the headlights worked on both boats, Simpson said.

A speedboat driven by Byron Thompson, 27, of Bloomington collided shortly after 9:30 p.m. with a pontoon boat carrying boat owner Pete Gum and five passengers. Robert Eugene Tharp, 82, of Farmer City, a passenger on the pontoon boat, was killed in the accident. Two other passengers on Gum's boat, Danny Williams of Clinton and William Babb of Champaign, remained in critical condition at Carle Foundation Hospital, Urbana. Loren Evans, whose hometown was unavailable, was released after treatment at Carle. Tom DeYoung and Gum were treated for minor injuries at Clinton Lake Marina.

Two passengers on Thompson's boat, Jonathon Maurer, 28, of Normal and Kent Bohanon, 25, of Bloomington were treated at BroMenn Regional Medical Center. Thompson was not injured.

Thompson was charged with operating a boat under the influence of alcohol, but Simpson said police reports will be forwarded to the DeWitt County state's attorney's office for evaluation of other possible charges. Thompson did not stop following the accident and was later found near the west-side boat access, Simpson said. He was issued a DUI citation but not jailed. Gum was able to bring his boat to shore.

Specific details of the collision will not be released until an investigation is concluded, Simpson said. DeWitt County Coroner Alex Calvert said the speedboat struck the front of the fishing boat, which was anchored south of the marina. Police have interviewed Thompson and taken statements from passengers on the two boats.